Ventilator



Oct. 31, 1939. A. PERSON 2,177,994

VENTILATOR Filed Aug. 9, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR filfrad'7%2'5022.

BY M s fiuu. A TToRNEy-s.

Oct. 31, 1939. 2,177,994

VE NTILATOR Filed Aug. 9, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 19779222Persazz,

A TTORNE Y5.

A. PERSON VENTILATOR Oct. 31, 1939.

Filed Aug. 9, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VENTOR fllflea" 79/150221 BY M 2I 7/ .v

$1 TTORNE Y5.

Patented Oct. 31, 1939 PATENT OFFICE VENTILATOR Alfred Person,

Detroit, Mich., assignor to The Murray Corporation of America, Detroit,Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application August 9, 1937, SerialNo.158,030

2 Claims.

to vehicle ventilators and vehicle ventilator operat- This inventionrelates particularly relates to a ing structure.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an operatingstructure for a vehicle ventilator by which a ventilating shutter islocked in its closed position and cannot be forced open by a forceapplied to the exterior of the shutter, to thereby prevent one fromgaining access to the interior of the vehicle through the ventilatoropening.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a ventilatingoperating structure associated with a shutter member of such a construc-5 tion that the shutter member is locked in its closed position and anyforce applied to the exterior of the shutter member tends to furtherlock the operating structure against opening of the shutter member.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a lockingstructure for the shutter of a vehicle ventilator so that the ventilatoris locked in its closed position, in combination with a resilient meansby which the ventilator may be resiliently held in any one of its openpositions.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an operatingmechanism for the shutter of a vehicle ventilating structure which ispositive in its operation to lock the shutter member in its closedposition.

A further object of the present inventionis to provide an operatingstructure for the shutter of a vehicle ventilator which is simple andeconomical to construct.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the followingspecification, the drawings relating thereto, and from the claimshereinafter set forth. I

In the drawings in which like numerals are used to designate like partsin the several views throughout:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary vertical cross sectional view, illustratingparts in elevation, and parts in perspectivaof a structure embodyingfeatures of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a partial elevational view and a partial cross sectional viewtaken substantially along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a partial cross sectional view and partial elevational viewtaken substantially along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 illustrating a modified embodiment ofthe present invention;

Fig. 5 is a partial cross sectional view and partial plan view, takensubstantially along the line 5'5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 1 illustrating another modifiedembodiment of the present invention;

along the line I'! of Fig. 6; and,

Fig. 8 is a cross sectional view, with parts in elevation, takensubstantially along the line 8--8 of Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawings and referring particularly to Figs. 1 to 3, anautomobile is generally indicated at I0 having a windshield I2, a cowlI3, an instrument panel I4, and a dashboard I5. The cowl I3 is providedwith a conventional ven tilator opening I6 therethrough defined by anupwardly opening channel I1 within which sealing strips I8 of a materialsuch as sponge rubber are fixed.

A cowl ventilator shutter member I9 is mounted over the opening I6 andhas downwardly directed peripheral flanges 20 which are adapted to bearagainst the resilient strips I8 when the shutter member I9 is in itsclosed position for sealing the opening.

In order to move the shutter member l9 to opened and closed positions,and to lock the shutter member I9 against opening while in its closedposition, according to the present invention an operating structure isprovided which is mounted within the interior of the automobile. Afirstsupporting member 22 having side arms 24 and 26 is mounted within theautomobile and suitably secured'to the under surface of the cowl I3adjacent the rear of the cowl opening. The rearwardly extending ends ofthe side arms 24 and 26 may be suitably secured to the upper edge of theinstrument panel I4. A substantially U-shaped linkage member 28 havingrearwardly directed side arms 30 and 32 is provided with the free endsof the arms 30 and 32 pivotally connected by pins 34 and 36 to side arms24 and 26, respectively. The base portion of the linkage member 28extends transversely of the vehicle and has a forwardly struck-outprojection 38 substantially at its center.

A second elongated supporting member 39 is mounted within the automobilelongitudinally thereof and has its forward end suitably secured to thedashboard I5 and its rear end suitably secured to the lower edge of theinstrument panel I4. Another linkage member 40 having a rear- Wardlyextending handle operating portion 42, is pivotally mounted to thesupporting members 39 by a pivot pin 43. A third elongated linkage 5Fig. 7 is an elevational view taken substantially member 44 is pivotallyconnected by a pivot pin 46 to the projecting portion 38 of the linkagemember 28, and is pivotally connected to the linkage member 40intermediate its length by a pivot pin 48.

The linkage members 28, 4D, and 44 provide a toggle linkage mechanismfor operating the shutter member it; and is operatively connected to theshutter member is by means of an operating plate member 58. The member56 is suitably secured at its upper edge to the under surface of theshutter member 19 and extends downwardly and rearwardly within theautomobile. The member 56 is provided with an elongated slot 52therethrough through which the projection 36 of the linkage member 28extends. Upon pivotal movement of the linkage member 28 the projection38 engages the member 50 and raises or lowers the member 50 to open andclose the shutter member IS.

The linkage members forming the toggle mechanism are so constructed andarranged that the line between the pivotal connections of the link agemember 44 with the linkage members 28 and 40 passes over the center ofthe pivot pin 43 when the shutter member i9 is opened and closed so thatthe shutter member is locked in its closed position. Referring to Fig. lin which the shutter member I9 is illustrated in its closed position,the linkage member 44 is straight and the center line of the linkagemember 44 is inside the center of the pivot pin 43 when the shuttermember is closed. It is evident that any attempt to open the shuttermember H) by the application of a tool to the exterior of the shuttermember along one of its edges would tend to rotate the linkage member 40counter-clockwise.

In order to limit the movement of the linkage member 40, the member 40is provided with a curved plate-like portion 54 having a curved slot 56therethrough which is in the form of a segment of a circle about thepivot pin 43. An elongated guide bolt 58 is suitably secured to thesupporting members 39 and. extend through the elongated slot 56 so thatthe ends of the slot 56 abut against the bolt 58 and limit the movementof the linkage member 40. When the shutter member I9 is in its closedposition, the lower end of the slot 56 abuts against the bolt 58 and anyattempt to apply a force to the exterior of the shutter member l9, asexplained above, would tend merely to rotate the linkage member 40 in acounter-clockwise direction, which movement would be prevented by thebolt 58.

In order to resiliently hold the shutter member I9 in any one of itsadjusted open positions, washers 66 and 62 are mounted over the bolt 58in frictional engagement with the opposite sides of the plate-likeportion 54 of the linkage member 40. The washers are frictionally heldagainst the plate-like portion 54 by means of a spiral spring 64 whichis mounted over the bolt 58 and held in abutment against the washer 62by means of an adjustable nut 65 and washer 61 threadably received overthe end of the bolt 58. The pressure applied by the spring 64 may besuitably adjusted by adjusting the position of the nut 65 on the bolt58. The washers 60 and 62 are fixed in relation to the supporting member39 and by their frictional engagement with the plate-like portion 54 ofthe linkage member 46, the shutter member l9 would be held in any one ofits adjusted positions along the slot 56.

A modified embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in Figs. 4and 5 which operates to lock the shutter member I9 in closed positionand resiliently hold the shutter member in an adjusted open position inthe same manner as the embodiment described above, but in which a guideslot, similar to the guide slot 56, is provided in a supporting memberrather than in one of the linkage members. Referring to Figs. 4 and 5, abracket member Hi having a plate portion H and an angle portion 12 ismounted within the automobile and suitably secured to the inner face ofthe dashboard 5 with the plate portion H extending rearwardly of thevehicle. A linkage member F3, corresponding to the linkage member 48previously described, is pivotally mounted to the plate portion 1! bymeans of a pivot pin 14. The linkage member 73 has an operating handleportion 15 and a forwardly extending portion 16.

, A bent linkage member Tl, corresponding to the linkage member 44previously described, is pivotally connected by a pivot pin 18 to thelinkage member 13, and is pivotally connected by a pivot pin 19 to theprojection 38 on the linkage member 28. The linkage member 11 is bentand is of such a construction that a line between the pivot pin '19 andthe pivot pin 18 lies to the right of the center of the pivot pin 16 (asviewed in Fig. 4) when the shutter I9 is in its closed position.

An elongated curved slot 86, corresponding to the slot 56 previouslydescribed, is provided in the plate member H about the pivot pin 14 inorder to provide a guide and limiting slot for the linkage member 13. Inthe embodiment illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, the bolt 58 is secured tothe forwardly extending portion 16 of the linkage member 13 and extendsthrough the slot 533 for movement therealong. The spiral spring 54 withthe nut 65 and the engaging washers 60 and 62 resiliently andfrictionally hold the linkage member !3 in an adjusted position alongthe length of the slot so that the shutter member 59 is held in anadjusted open position.

The link 13 is limited in its counter-clockwise movement, as viewed inFig. 4, by abutment of the pin 58 against the lower end of the slot 80;and with the line between the centers of the pivot pins 18 and 19 lyingto the right of the center of the pivot pin 14 when the shutter memberI9 is in its closed position, it is evident that the application of anyforce to the exterior of the shutter member l9 would tend to furthermove the linkage member 13 in a counter-clockwise direction which islocked against such movement and which thus locks the shutter member l9in its closed position. To open the shutter member IS, the handleportion 15 is moved in a clockwise direction and the line between thepivot pins 18 and '59 passes over the center of the pivot pin 14permitting movement of the bolt member 58 along the slot 88 to open theshutter member l9. The spring 64, as above described, retains theshutter member IS in any of its adjusted open positions.

In the embodiments of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5, theventilator opening is provided through a horizontal portion of theautomobile body so that the shutter member opens upwardly; and in amodified embodiment, illustrated in Figs. 6 to 8, a structure isprovided in which the ventilator opening in the vehicle is in one of theupwardly directed walls so that the closure for that opening opensforwardly.

Referring to Figs. 6 to 8, an automobile is generally indicated at 84,and is only partially shown but is preferably of the cab-over-enginetype of automobile. The vehicle 84 has a down- 1 wardly extendingforward wall 86with a ventilat ing opening 88 therethrough. A shuttermember 90 is mounted over the opening 88 and is adapted to be movedforwardly and away from the vehicle to permit the passage of air-intothe vehicle through the opening 88. A U-shaped bracket member 92 issuitably fixed to the inner face of the shutter member 90 and has curvedend arms 94 which may be pivotally mounted by pivot pins 96 to thevehicle 84 interiorly thereof-above the top edge of the opening 88. Theshutter member 90 may thus be pivoted about the pivot pins 96 to openand close the opening 88.

A dashboard 98 is mounted rearwardly of the front wall 86 and has anelongated upwardly extending opening 99 therethrough. An inwardlyextending plate member inner face of the dashboard 98 and has a portionsubstantially parallel to and adjacent one side edge of the opening 99.

A shutter operating mechanism is provided which includes an L-shapedoperating arm I02 pivotally mounted by a pivot pin I03 to the platemember IOI adjacent the dashboard. The member I02 has an elongated slotI04 therethrough which is adapted to slidably receive therein a pivotbolt I05. thereto a linkage member I06 which is thus pivotally andslidably mounted relative to the member I02 within the slot I04. Anotherlinkage member I01 forms a continuation of the linkage member I06, andis slidably mounted thereto by means of a bolt I08 which is receivedthrough an elongated slot I09 in the member I 01. The member I0! isprevented from rotating relative to the member I06 by a flange IIOformed on one edge of the member I06 adjacent the engaging portion ofthe member I01. The flange IIO also engages one edge of the member I07so that the member I07 forms an aligned extension of the member I 06.The member I01 is pivotally attached by pivot pin II 2 to a bracket I I4secured to the inner face of the shutter member 90.

The linkage member I06 extends through the elongated opening 99 and ispivotally and slidably secured relative to the member I02 as explainedabove, so that upon pivotal movement of the member I02 about its pivotpoint I03, the linkage member I06 is actuated to open and close theshutter member 90. In order to limit the opening movement of the shuttermember 90 and to provide for locking of the shutter member 90 when it isin its closed position, an elongated curved slot H6 is provided throughthe plate member IOI. The slot II6 corresponds to the slots 56 and inthe embodiments described above, and receives therethrough the boltmember I05. The slot H6 is described as a portion of a circle with itscenter at I20; and the center I20 is at a point above the center line ofthe linkage members I 06 and I0! when the shutter mem-,

ber is in its closed position. This provides for locking the shuttermember 90 in its' closed position and prevents the opening of theshutter member by the application of a tool from the exterior of thevehicle. It is evident that if any attempt were made to open the shuttermember 90 from the exterior of a vehicle that the linkage member I06would be pulled forwardly of the vehicle. As the center I20 of the arc II6 is above the center line of the linkage member I06 when the shuttermember is in its closed position, this tendency to move the linkagemember I06 forwardly Would cause the pin I05 to tend to move in aclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 6, and

IOI is mounted on the The pivot bolt I05 has fixed such movement wouldbe' prev'ented by the abutment of the pin I05. against the lower edge ofthe opening I I6.

In order to hold the shutter member in any of its adjusted openpositions means are provided in the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 6and 7 similar to the corresponding means illustrated above in regard tothe embodiments illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5. Washers 60 and 62 areadapted to resiliently and frictionally engage the opposite surfaces -ofthe member-I0! and are held in such frictional engagement by means of acoil spring 64 and adjustable nut 65.

By raising the downwardly extending handle on the member I02, it isevident that the linkage member I06 is forced forwardly as the boltmember I 05 rides upwardly within the slot I I6 thus opening the shuttermember 90. The shutter member would be held in any of its open positionsby the frictional engagement of the washers 60 and 62 with the platemember IOI.

Formal changes may be made in the specific embodiment of the inventiondescribed without departing form the spirit and substance of theinvention, the scope of which is commensurate with the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a vehicle having a ventilating opening therethrough, a shuttermember movably mounted Within said opening to open and close saidopening, a first supporting member mounted within said vehicle, a secondsupporting member mounted within said vehicle, a first linkage memberpivotally mounted on said'first supporting member, a second linkagemember pivotally mounted to said second supporting member, said secondlinkage member and said second supporting member forming cooperatingmembers, a third linkage member pivotally mounted to said first andsecond linkage members, means operatively connecting one of said linkagemembers with said shutter member, the construction and arrangement ofsaid linkage members being such that the line between the pivotalconnections of the third linkage member with the first and secondlinkage members passes over the point of pivotal connection of thesecond linkage member with its supporting member when the shutter memberis opened and closed to thereby look the shutter member in its closedposition, one of said cooperating members having a slot formed therein,means connected to the other of said cooperating members and extendingthrough said slot to provide a sliding connection therebetween, andspring means associated with said last named means resiliently andfrictionally holding said second linkage member in sliding engagementwith said second supporting member to hold said shutter member inadjusted open positions.

2. In a vehicle having a ventilating opening therethrough, a shuttermember movably mounted within said opening to open and close saidopening, a first supporting member mounted within said vehicle, a secondsupporting member mounted within said vehicle, a first linkage memberpivotally mounted on said first supporting member, a second linkagemember pivotally mounted to said second supporting member, said secondlinkage member and said second supporting member forming cooperatingmembers, a third linkage member pivotally mounted to said first andsecond linkage members, means operatively connecting one of said linkagemembers with said shutter member, the construction and arrangement ofsaid linkage members being such that the line between the pivotalconnections of the third linkage member with the first and secondlinkage members passes over the point of pivotal connection of thesecond linkage member with its supporting member when the shutter memberis opened and closed to thereby lock the shutter member in its closedposition, one of said cooperating members having an arcuate slot formedtherein, said slot being formed on a radius about the point of pivotalconnection between said second linkage member and said second supportingmember, pin means connected to the other of said cooperating members andextending through said slot to provide a sliding connectiontherebetween, and spring means associated with said last named meansresiliently and frictionally holding said second linkage member insliding engagement with said second supporting member to hold saidshutter member in adjusted open positions.

ALFRED PERSON.

